Sailor's so-called Special Nibs -- ranging from the subtle Naginata-Togi to the absurd King Eagle -- have a storied history. They were unavailable for a few years, and relaunched just a couple of years ago with much higher prices and a new pen body format. Only recently has it been possible to buy one online; … Continue reading Is a Sailor Special Nib worth it? Hands on with the Naginata Cross Concord
pens
Karas Ink V2 Pony Express: the weight of progress
I had a short phase of liking brass and copper pens. Then I decided that the metallic smell was too annoying and stopped using them. So why is there a bronze pen here on my desk? You could call it impatience, or curiosity. Let me explain. Over a year ago I got myself a Karas … Continue reading Karas Ink V2 Pony Express: the weight of progress
State of the collection: June 2020
Pens! Fresh off my last post about small but perfectly formed collections, here's the latest on mine. It's grown, just a little bit. What's in since the last SotC: Pilot Capless LS. I listed this for sale soon after it arrived, because while it's by far my favourite Vanishing Point, I didn't fall in love … Continue reading State of the collection: June 2020
Quick review: Franklin-Christoph Model 20 in vintage green with Masuyama Needlepoint
This is not my first Franklin-Christoph and I doubt it will be my last. My favourite model for sheer comfort is the 02, but I thought I'd give the Model 20 a try and I'm glad I did. The 20 is a simple acrylic pen that takes a #6 JoWo nib. Its standout feature is … Continue reading Quick review: Franklin-Christoph Model 20 in vintage green with Masuyama Needlepoint
Pilot takes the Vanishing Point to the next level
I have a thing for retractable fountain pens, like the Montblanc 1912 and the Lamy Dialog 3 (and yes, the new Curidas). But the king of them all in the market is the Pilot Vanishing Point. I have tried a few Vanishing Points (or 'Capless') over the years. The current 'normal' Vanishing Point first. Then … Continue reading Pilot takes the Vanishing Point to the next level
My Top 3 pens
It's been going on a while, but Joost from Appelboom's 'top 3 fountain pen' video series has just landed on my radar. The premise is simple: ask pen-celebrities like Figboot, Azizah, SBRE Brown, Scrively and Brad Dowdy to record videos talking for about 15 minutes about their top three pens. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HphQ-Tqi508 I wasn't invited to … Continue reading My Top 3 pens
Nine pens for sale
Updated to remove sold pens. So. I’m taking my collection even tighter. It took some effort to hit the 'publish' button on this post, but I’ve listed nine pens below for sale. There's over £3,500 of pens here so it's probably my biggest sale yet, and for those keeping track, this will bring me down … Continue reading Nine pens for sale
Scribo? “Feel the writing” is spot on
Do you like Italian pens? Do you like flex? Do you like piston fillers? Do you like being a little bit... unconventional? Then boy, do I have a treat for you. Read on as I explore the Scribo 3... Third time's the charm?The Scribo 3 is the third release of Italian brand Scrittura Bolognese's collaboration … Continue reading Scribo? “Feel the writing” is spot on
The Montblanc M as product design thought experiment
You ever had a situation where you knew you were making a really stupid decision, but you did it anyway out of fatalism, or curiosity? Well, that's me with buying the Montblanc M. This is not some never-before-seen pen, bought as a brave experiment to satisfy your curiosity, dear reader. The M has been out … Continue reading The Montblanc M as product design thought experiment
Diving in to the world of Ferris Wheel Press
I'm a closet (graphic) design lover. I will stop in the street to admire a carefully chosen colour palette, and I mentally applaud when I see evidence of good typography practices in an advert or on packaging. So Canadian brand Ferris Wheel Press is kinda like catnip to me. As they'll proudly tell you, they … Continue reading Diving in to the world of Ferris Wheel Press
